CHESHIRE WEST VOLUNTARY ACTION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Volunteering Development Officer
Carrie is the point of contact for all things volunteering and works closely with volunteer managers across west Cheshire to offer any advice about how they can best manage their volunteers, holding regular networking sessions with them.
The most enjoyable part of her job is engaging with other organisations and supporting their volunteer programmes to enable them to better support their volunteers.
Carrie would encourage anyone to work in the community sector as she feels there is nothing more rewarding than supporting people and making a difference in your community.
Her hobbies are netball and more netball. She plays goal shooter at a competitive level and, when she isn't playing, she likes to go running.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Chief Executive, 07940 461960
The community sector is the only one Clare has ever worked in. She can't imagine working in another sector.
Clare loves the diversity of CWVA's membership and feels it is a privilege to work with all members. As she knows what CWVA does each day to drive change and help communities in west Cheshire, she can't help but feel fulfilled. If you like your working week to be varied and unpredictable at times, as well as being able to meet a wide range of people, Clare would definitely recommend this sector.
In her spare time, she spends much of her life on the terraces or watching football as she is a season ticket holder at Liverpool Football Club. Clare's also an avid vinyl collector and enjoys walking Lil, her gorgeous rescue dog.
Lisa's background is 10 years in retail management, working for many different organisations. She gave up her career in 2007 to raise her three daughters and, during this time, she struggled with postnatal depression and social isolation. In 2013, Lisa decided to set up a community group called Westminster Families, which aimed to bring the community together and help people support each other in their community. The group has gone from strength to strength, supporting many families through the community café, school holiday provisions and much more. Lisa's volunteering work has helped her get back into employment and, over the last four years, she has worked at Healthbox Wellbeing High Street, as well as supporting The Welcome Network's Sustran People project. She is also a Councillor for Westminster in Ellesmere Port.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Head
- Lecturer
- Trustee
Holly is a Deputy Head and Lecturer in the Social and Political Sciences department at the University of Chester. Her areas of expertise include poverty and inequality, narratives of social harm, social activism and social justice, and qualitative research. Holly has evolved her knowledge in strategic development and social policy through a variety of voluntary roles, including for Citizen's Advice, West Cheshire Foodbank and Trussell Trust. Holly is motivated by seeking opportunities for collaboration that promote social justice and wellbeing. She is also a founding member of the Beans on Toast Group, where local community food projects meet with community inspirers from the West Cheshire Poverty Truth Commission to promote change, and a Changing Minds Board member for the Trussell Trust. Holly's favourite past time is walking her dog.
Job Titles:
- Administration & Finance Officer
Emma provides a range of administration services, including finance, governance and Human Resources (HR), offering direct support to the staff team and Board of Trustees.
Her role is hugely varied and she enjoys helping others, supporting a fantastic team and getting to know CWVA's diverse membership. Emma feels it is a privilege to work in the community sector and she is passionate about the work CWVA does. She would definitely recommend working in this sector to anyone as it is incredibly rewarding.
In her spare time, Emma enjoys being with her family.
Job Titles:
- Interim CEO
- Interim Chief Executive
As Interim CEO, Gary supports the Deputy CEO by providing advice and guidance on our strategic direction. CWVA has such a lot going on so, to take full advantage, Gary has joined to help make sure the organisation is around the right tables engaging with all key stakeholders. With many important changes going on - for example, how health and social care is provided - it is such an important time for CWVA to make sure the sector and its members' voices are heard. That's where Gary comes in.
Gary is passionate about championing the underdog and loves understanding the framework for how services are delivered to people who need support. He finds being able to influence that agenda really exciting and, although frustrating at sometimes, it's still something that gets him out of bed. He feels that, if you want to get a sense of satisfaction and the feeling that you might just be in the right place, the community sector is for you.
In his spare time, he loves walking his two young dogs but, to get away from it all, he flies my microlight mainly around the UK, but sometimes to Europe. He sees it as a great challenge, but also great fun with a great bunch of people.
Job Titles:
- Senior Development Officer
Joanne specialises in governance and funding but, in reality, she does a little bit of everything at CWVA. Every day is a different challenge for Joanne. She's worked for CWVA since 2011 and had a number of different roles, including managing the Cheshire Enterprising Women project, providing ongoing development support to all the projects funded by Brightlife, and most recently supporting the work of the Welcome Network.
She would definitely encourage anyone to work in the community sector. Joanne has worked in every sector, but she's happiest in this one as it reflects her values and allows her to use her skills to make a difference.
In her spare time, Joanne loves the theatre, enjoys yoga, writing for growth and reflection, making up stories about the adventures of her rescue cat and editing her husband's music articles. She is a member of Cheshire Wildlife Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
Job Titles:
- Training & Skillshare Officer
John provides training to help individuals and organisations develop their skillset and personal growth.
He enjoys helping others and watching a charity or community group growing stronger. With some communities CWVA works with acutely funded, John feels it's a privilege to be able to invest his time and expertise to help them thrive.
Kathy has spent more than nine years working within community sector charities and companies supporting those with disabilities, low incomes and mental health conditions. Having gained experience working with stakeholders, external agencies and community groups, she then moved into management as a Service Manager at a specialist mental health unit on the Wirral. After joining Primary Care Cheshire (PCC) as a Wellbeing Coordinator, Kathy has continued to develop her career, progressing within PCC and working towards an ILM Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management, as well as moving into the Senior Leadership Team in her current role as Strategic Development Manager. Kathy is enthusiastic about supporting the local communities and Primary Care to address health inequalities and non-medical needs by designing, developing and implementing services which have our local population at the centre of them.
Job Titles:
- Membership Support Officer
- the Membership Support Officer
Mike is the Membership Support Officer, which essentially means he looks after all members' needs, acting as a link between CWVA's team of specialists and the hundreds of members.
He enjoys building relationships and helping others. Mike feels there is nothing more rewarding than forming a long-lasting and valuable relationship with members, helping them find solutions to problems and guiding them in the direction of the wealth of expertise and dedication at CWVA. For Mike, to feel you are really making a difference and helping amazing and dedicated people is hugely rewarding and very humbling.
Mike is a music obsessive, produces and presents his own music show and podcast, and writes about music for several magazines and publications. He supports Liverpool Football Club, loves cricket (both watching and playing), enjoys reading, fine wine, playing video games, movies, restaurants, and likes cats. Mike listens to Boards of Canada, Gary Numan, Nine Inch Nails, and underground electronic music keeps him happy and centred.
Ryan is part of the Communication team at Cheshire West and Chester Council, supporting CWVA two-days-a-week with communication and marketing as part of a buy-back agreement.
Before his involvement with CWVA, Ryan hadn't worked closely with the community sector, but he is regularly inspired by the stories he hears about the generosity and dedicated support offered by charities and community groups. He is passionate about spreading the word about the sector.
In his spare time, Ryan likes to travel and watch plenty of sport. He has to deal with the constant frustration that comes with being a Bolton Wanderers season ticket holder. Ryan is also Media Manager at North Wales Crusaders, National Team Media Manager at Wales Rugby League and covers rugby league for a number of different newspapers and magazines on a freelance basis.
Shantele has a legal background. After qualifying as a Barrister at the Inns of Court School of Law, her passion for equality led her to a caseworker role in the community sector, representing individuals who'd experienced discrimination at Tribunal. She then moved into her current position as Director of the local Race and Equality Centre, where she leads a diverse team of staff and services. She brings with her more than 20 years of experience in the community sector, with a particular emphasis on equality work. She is a Chester resident and lives with her husband and two dogs.
Simon started his career as a Fitness Instructor. After this, he studied Cardiac Rehabilitation and then went on to work for the NHS, setting up exercise referral schemes. He also briefly worked for the NHS in Public Health. While working in the NHS, Simon met Chester Voluntary Action (CVA), as it was known at the time. CVA supported Simon with volunteers, much-needed policies and procedures, as well as gathering vital, wider knowledge of the sector. After leaving the NHS, he and one of his colleagues Georgie Stanley set up Healthbox CIC. They wanted to continue the work they delivered in the NHS and support their community, delivering health and wellbeing services. Simon was then approached by CVA and became a Trustee. He became the very proud Chair of Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA) and is now the Co Chair alongside Gary Cliffe. Between the two of them, Simon hopes they can not only support the team, but also the wider sector.
Job Titles:
- Food Strategy Lead Specialist Infrastructure, ( Mondays Only )
Steph is the single point of contact for anyone in the community sector providing food or addressing the issue of food poverty. Other parts of CWVA's work is being linked to this agenda, such as the Green Pledges campaign and Keep It Local. Working together with the team at CWVA, there is a fantastic support offer for food groups and Steph is leading on the development of a Food Strategy for the whole borough.
She enjoys working with fantastic people and making connections and partnerships that enhance what people are already doing. Steph has worked in the community sector for 12 years now and loves it. In the sector, she feels there are the most amazing people passionate about their work and making a real difference in their communities.
In her spare time, she love walking, running, watching sport, drinking tea and being with friends.
Toria is the Strategic Wellbeing Lead at ForHousing, a housing association based in the north west of England that looks after 24,000 homes. She is responsible for tenant voice and engagement, which includes everything from overseeing the Community Development service, developing and delivering projects that help support the health and wellbeing of communities, developing strategic partnerships to raise the profile of the housing sector in reducing health inequalities, and making sure the voice of the tenant is at the heart of service development and delivery. This experience of working in close partnership with the community sector gives her a real passion for the crucial role the sector plays supporting people. In her spare time, Toria can be found running (slowly) around parks, playing football and winding up her two stepchildren and two cats.